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Family wants me to shoot wedding, how do I locate a cheap Pro instead?

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Wow, what a divine wisdom!!!

"Better to pay cheap for so-so pix" and then you know why you get garbage, because you didn't hire a decent pro. Wedding photography does not grace you with a second chance.
you have to do it right the first time.

This guy OLDEDUDE will guide you to a dump.
oldepro said:
jkHartin said:
Price shopping for a good wedding photographer can be dangerous. The
best, most reliable way is to look at an example of a whole wedding
from the photographer who will actually photograph the wedding. Look
at styles and decide based on liking the work! Wedding photography
is a specialty as you can appreciate - even a wonderful event
photographer can fall flat at a wedding. Given a good portfolio,
this is a field where the relationship between cost and outcome is
often true - you get what you pay for. There is nothing to compare
with experience, and professionalism when a wedding is involved. It
is a skill that good photographers have a serious respect for - very
challenging and demandiing!
Click to expand...
--
....................................................
illegitimati non carborundum est
....................................................
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I have a theory on how that can work here - RAP (Redundant Amateur Photographers)! Have them find at least 2 other friends with DSLRs (for a total of at least 3 shooters, 4 or 5 would be better). You all cover the wedding. If somebody's equipment fails, you've got at least two more. If somebody missed a critical shot, somebody else probably got it. With the backups, there's less pressure on everybody, and between the shooters, there's probably different equipment to cover all situations.

Hey - it works for websites that have dozens of cheap computers. One goes down, the rest pick up the slack...
 
FoolyCooly said:
FoolyCooly wrote:
Don't you feel that if someone is offering a professional service
they should produce an OK result?
Click to expand...
'OK' according to who's definition? :-) I think sometimes we shooters get caught up in our own little world and can't see things from an outsider's point of view. Aren't a couple of nice pics that may not be technically or artistically astounding better than no pics at all?
FoolyCooly said:
Maybe I'm going about it all wrong.
I think I'll start charging much less. Shoot jpeg and do no
processing or culling what so ever. I could shoot 4 hours for $350.
Maybe I could do 1 wedding on Fridays, 2 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday.
That's five weddings a weekend for $350 each. All money in my pocket
and all I spent was $1 on each customer for a lousy CD and a stamp.
Click to expand...
There are plenty of people who are doing that at this very moment.
FoolyCooly said:
Do you think these people hurt the wedding industry at all? I hear it
now, My sister hired a Pro and the photos were terrible. You should
just have your uncle do it with his DSLR and kit lens. The photos
will be just as good and we can spend more money on our honeymoon.
Click to expand...
Just because someone calls themselves a professional doesn't mean that their photos will have universal appeal. Look at all the grief we give fellow shooters who post on photos on this board. Uncle Bob's shots may indeed be better than the 'pro', especially if he's any kind of enthusiast and has an eye for shots.
FoolyCooly said:
I was going to post a link to her CL ad and flickr portfolio but I
figured it would be distasteful. Please believe me that they are very
bad.
Click to expand...
I believe you, and I'm glad you didn't post them as I agree that woud be in bad taste.
FoolyCooly said:
My message to the OP was not to hire someone based on price alone.
Click to expand...
No, I don't think price should be the single determining factor, but it is certainly (especially now, in 2008) going to be a large one.

--



http://www.pbase.com/jfinite
 
I believe there are businesses based around that model; they send out 3+ amateur shooters to cover an event, saturation style, and I guess they cull the best shots from the lot.
--



http://www.pbase.com/jfinite
 
At least if they decide on a legal response, you're not involved! This way it's just a business transaction that didn't turn out, not a family splitting squabble.
--



http://www.pbase.com/jfinite
 
vincebusam said:
I have a theory on how that can work here - RAP (Redundant Amateur
Photographers)! Have them find at least 2 other friends with DSLRs
(for a total of at least 3 shooters, 4 or 5 would be better). You
all cover the wedding. If somebody's equipment fails, you've got at
least two more. If somebody missed a critical shot, somebody else
probably got it. With the backups, there's less pressure on
everybody, and between the shooters, there's probably different
equipment to cover all situations.

Hey - it works for websites that have dozens of cheap computers. One
goes down, the rest pick up the slack...
Click to expand...
Sounds like a cartoon wedding with 3 to 5 photographers, shooting, eating, drinking.
--
photoman
 
You gave me a good laugh.
photography said:
vincebusam said:
I have a theory on how that can work here - RAP (Redundant Amateur
Photographers)! Have them find at least 2 other friends with DSLRs
(for a total of at least 3 shooters, 4 or 5 would be better). You
all cover the wedding. If somebody's equipment fails, you've got at
least two more. If somebody missed a critical shot, somebody else
probably got it. With the backups, there's less pressure on
everybody, and between the shooters, there's probably different
equipment to cover all situations.

Hey - it works for websites that have dozens of cheap computers. One
goes down, the rest pick up the slack...
Click to expand...
Sounds like a cartoon wedding with 3 to 5 photographers, shooting,
eating, drinking.
--
photoman
Click to expand...
 
Ok Guys,

It appears that they aren't going to have any photographer at all (other than maybe a relative with a P&S), so I'm thinking this is something I should do.

I have a 70-200 f2.8 L non-IS, so I'll either have to find a place in Columbus to rent one with IS, or...

I meant to buy an 85 1.8 for basketball season but ended up spending the spring experimenting with the 70-200 at games (decent in good lighting!).

Perhaps I buy the 85 f1.8 and 50 f1.8 (I should have bought the nifty-fifty years ago) and use these. I have a 24-70 f2.8 to go along with the 70-200. I don't know anything about the light, so I figure I'd use the 24-70 2.8 at the wide end for group shots, the 50 1.8 or 85 1.8 (at f2) during the ceremony, and then back to the f2.8 wide at the reception. (all on 350D)

So... the next step. I want to get a good book to read up on all the best places/techniques for wedding photography. I'm going to search Amazon and I'm sure there are a ton of books. Does anyone have one they'd particularly recommend?

In addition to getting them pictures of the biggest day of their lives, I'd love the experience in doing this.

--
Alex
 
Did you try to craiglist for local wedding photographer? I saw some photographers offering their service at lower price, especially those that looks for portfolio, but of course, like people said, you get for what you paid for, check their site of ask for samples to see the quality.
 
Hi again,

Cripes. Why should you pay to do their wedding photography (i.e. renting or buying a lens)? Again, they really don't care that much - if they did, they'd hire a pro.

Use the equipment you have and do the best job you can. It's not like you have inferior lenses. Search online for ideas and images you like and try to use them as guidelines. Best wishes.

Jim Herndon
Spadhunter said:
Ok Guys,

It appears that they aren't going to have any photographer at all
(other than maybe a relative with a P&S), so I'm thinking this is
something I should do.

I have a 70-200 f2.8 L non-IS, so I'll either have to find a place in
Columbus to rent one with IS, or...
I meant to buy an 85 1.8 for basketball season but ended up spending
the spring experimenting with the 70-200 at games (decent in good
lighting!).

Perhaps I buy the 85 f1.8 and 50 f1.8 (I should have bought the
nifty-fifty years ago) and use these. I have a 24-70 f2.8 to go
along with the 70-200. I don't know anything about the light, so I
figure I'd use the 24-70 2.8 at the wide end for group shots, the 50
1.8 or 85 1.8 (at f2) during the ceremony, and then back to the f2.8
wide at the reception. (all on 350D)

So... the next step. I want to get a good book to read up on all the
best places/techniques for wedding photography. I'm going to search
Amazon and I'm sure there are a ton of books. Does anyone have one
they'd particularly recommend?

In addition to getting them pictures of the biggest day of their
lives, I'd love the experience in doing this.

--
Alex
Click to expand...
 
Op I am not a pro I just lurk here to learn. I'll assume a couple of things . First that their motivation is financial. Second that you have a DSLR , Couple of good lenses and a good flash and can do some Post processing. If that is the case give it a go. If it is not the case forge it. If you choose to do it Just remind them two or three times that you are not a professional and that they will get a nice bunch of snapshots of the reception and some group shots Etc. I've done this for a couple of Nieces and they were more than happy with the CD of pictures I gave them . (They were responsible for the prints except for a couple of 8x10s I gave them as a gift.)

Please take note that I have admiration for the folks that do this for a living. Forget anything about the wedding or the reception. You will be running around like the proverbial chicken . You will miss some shots because you don;t know where to be and when to be there but if you are a good photographer they will have a nice book of memories.
--
Check my Photo Blog
http://parisea.blogspot.com/

 
I qualified my statement about paying more by saying you must review the portfolio. I know all the wedding photographers in our area...I have done a number of weddings myself, and helped other pros. I know approximately what everyone charges.....in our area, you get what you pay for. Once you get to the upper prices, I can assure you that the image quality and artistry is unparalleled, the service is excellent, the staff are professional in every way. It is a reoccurring argument here, but it is my firm belief that a good wedding photographer works very hard for their income. It is a high pressure day's work, and post processing - if done right - is tedious. However, there are few customers who appreciate your good images more than a bride and her family. Best, Jack
 
Two things about this that I see:

First: it's your family and you don't want to do the pictures if you feel that you can not deliver what you think they would like. You are close to your family and you don't want to lose that relationship.

Second: You should be able to find a competant professional that can give them a good product with out selling off the family farm. Just because a photographer is a so called "weekend warrior" doesn't mean that he/she does poor work. Many of these do excellent work and produce a quality product for the client.

You just need to look. Get on the phone and start calling. Call friends of the bride who have just been married, they will give names of those they have looked at and those folks will give you other names.

It doesn't cost the photographer much in expenses to shoot the wedding and create a DVD of printable images. If this is acceptable to the bride. There are shooters who do this and are quite good, excellent, in fact. I know as I am one of them but just in your area.

dave
 
Dave Beaman said:
It doesn't cost the photographer much in expenses to shoot the
wedding and create a DVD of printable images.
Click to expand...
Actually, it does. To think that the only 'expense' involved is the time spent shooting and the 10 cents for the DVD is wrong; there is MUCH more to it... even IF the only product is the DVD.

--
JOE FEDERER
Websites:
Minnesota Hiking and nature @ http://hiking.federerphotography.com
Minneapolis / St. Paul Wedding photography @ http://www.federerphotography.com
 
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